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| 44 Parachute Regiment | |
|---|---|
 44 Parachute Regiment emblem | |
| Founded | 2000 (as regiment) |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Branch |  South African Army |
| Type | Airborne Force |
| Role | Light infantry Airborne force Special Forces support Rapid response Counter-insurgency |
| Size | 3 Battalions |
| Garrison/HQ | Tempe, Bloemfontein |
| Nickname | Parabats |
| Beret Colour | Maroon |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
|
44 Parachute Regiment is theSouth African Army's chiefairborneinfantry unit. It was created in 2000 by redesignating44 Parachute Brigade, and is based at the Tempe military base nearBloemfontein.
The first South African airborne unit was formed in August 1943, when a Parachute Platoon of theSouth African Air Force was established. However, this unit was disbanded before training could be completed.
There were no further attempts to establish any airborne units until 1961, when selected members of the South African Army received parachute training atRAF Abingdon. This was followed by the establishment of 1 Parachute Battalion under CommandantWillem Louw on 1 April 1961.[1]
On 26 August 1966, units of 1 Parachute Battalion (calledParabats) first participated in operations as part of theSouth African Border War in South-West Africa (nowNamibia). This involvement was eventually to last for more than twenty years.
In April 1978 44 Parachute Brigade was established, with the addition of 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions.
On 4 May 1978 South Africa's first major airborne operation (Operation Reindeer) took place. A large group of paratroopers, from 1,2 and 3 Battalions, attacked a largeSWAPO base inAngola, successfully capturing it.(SeeBattle of Cassinga).
Following the end of the Border War in 1989, the Brigade was scaled down slightly and began preparing for a new role, that of conducting operations internally in South Africa in order to quell increasing levels of violence between various political groups.
In January 1991 the Brigade conducted its first operational jump in an urban counterinsurgency role when 2 Parachute Battalion deployed to Natal as part ofOperation Eardrum to quell the violence. The Brigade took part in many similar operations in the following years, helping to minimise the violence sufficiently to allow South Africa's first democratic elections to go ahead in April 1994.
The Brigade's first operational deployment in the post-1994 period wasOperation Boleas in September 1998. It deployed two parachute companies and the Pathfinder Platoon toLesotho to prevent a coup d'état.
During 1998, the decision was taken to redesignate the unit as a multi-battalion regiment, but it was only during the year 2000 that this change became official.
In 2001 regiment personnel formed the spearhead of the South African Protection Support Detachment deploying toBurundi.[2]
In 2012, the regiments' 1st Battalion participated in theSouth African military assistance to the Central African Republic operation, where the unit suffered 13 killed, with 27 injured and one missing in action in an ambush conducted bySéléka rebels. TheBattle of Bangui was, however, considered a success for the Parabats as they killed more than 3000 Seleka rebels.[3]
In 2014 the Regiment contributed one company to theUnited Nations Force Intervention Brigade which fought a number of engagements in theDRC.[4]
As of 2004, the Regiment consists of the following units:
| From | Honorary Colonel | To |
| From | Officer Commanding | To |
| From | Regimental Sergeants Major | To |
